The Art of Playing Games
by CloudyThoughtsInStars
Summary: Oh how lucky some were to have a name that matched a life of freedom and choice. Freedom and choice was not gifted to all, like Xion. A name that's not even a name, for a person who wasn't even a person. Seems fitting, right? When given the opportunity to live a new life yet still plagued by this cursed name, will Xion take it? Even if it means selling her 'soul' to the 'devil?


_So this could be a one shot or it could potentially lead to something more, you decide!_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts! **_

The Name Game

"Xion!"

Ah yes, Xion. The name that sent the world reeling in confusion. "I've never heard of a Xion." they say, "I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person." they say. A name forever cast into the abyss of oblivion, a name that's not even a name, for a person who wasn't even a person. Seems fitting, right? This name that once cast a feeling of unease and curiosity, but now merely only struck the above responses if the name ever was to be mentioned, which was doubtful. Any time the name was mentioned in fact, it was supposedly subconsciously said, as if the name was a parasite that desperately clung to whatever it could in order to be remembered somehow. No one even knew it was a name, but perhaps...a puzzle of some sort?

Well, she supposed that was true, her entire existence, or rather, lack of, was a challenge to all those who had ever been around her. The name Xion often appeared in the nightmares of all those unaware of who exactly she was even though they had known her once upon a time. The challenge part of it was to find out what the name Xion even meant, for even she did not know herself.

How she longed for her name to be thought of and remembered like the name "Sora". The person whom she technically sacrificed everything for, and even _he _did not know her name. She thought that this should make her angry, hell, she _wanted _it to make her angry, she _wanted _to feel the anger burn up inside of her like a fire that destroyed every feeling of happiness without mercy. But, how could a being who didn't even exist _deserve _the right to feel? How did she _deserve _the right to be remembered? Why on earth should _her _name get to be remembered? Not once in her short life (could she even consider it a life?) could she recount herself doing anything remotely good to the extent someone like Sora had done.

_Perhaps_ she could count her final sacrifice as something that could be considered a 'good deed', but had it even helped?

No. The stubborn boy was still asleep.

She had failed.

The one thing that would have made her life worth it in the end...and she had failed.

Perhaps...what she _did _deserve _was _to be forgotten.

After all, who remembered the name of the person who's entire existence was pointless?

There was only really one person who knew of her name, but like herself, he was doomed for a life trapped in oblivion.

As usual, when she opened her eyes, she was met with a beach that was constantly plagued by the same storm.

However, though she had previously told him she preferred to be left alone, in front of her stood the face of a boy which sent something close to the feeling of pain and grief (she couldn't really tell) gnaw away at her insides.

She sighed.

"What do you want Ventus?"

Ventus. The boy this world had sent to curse her, and remind her of one she cared (and still continued to care) so deeply about.

Why did they have to look the same?

Ventus, seemingly unfazed by her blunt nature, answered:

"I don't know what's going on, something down by the shore has really freaked me out, but I think _it's_ happening."

This quickly caught Xion's attention.

Ventus, forever the optimist, had always referred to to something he jokingly called 'the happening' when he felt they needed inspiration. Apparently, a while before Xion had arrived, this place in which they both inhabited out of little choice, was once a place of beauty, and _light. _Though it's appearance now Xion had always found intriguing, there was always something _missing_, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. When she had finally regained her ability to speak a few days after arriving at this _place, _she had queried Ventus on it.

"_Missing?" he had questioned with a chuckle, but a glare from Xion had told him she wasn't joking, "C-can't you see it?" he then asked hesitantly. _

_Xion continued to glare when she replied, "Clearly I do not."_

"_Exactly." Ventus answered with a knowing smile. _

"_Exactly? What are you blabbering on about Ven-" however before Xion was given the privilege to continue, Ventus had interrupted her. _

"_Tell me Miss Xion," Ventus began with a humouress glint in his eyes, "When is the last time you have seen the sun on our humble abode?"_

_Xion was about to scold him for such a stupid question, but then she realised..._

"_Never." she answered truthfully, the look of realisation dawning her features. _

_Again with a knowing smile, Ventus repeated, "Exactly."_

"_H-how-?" Xion began with a questioning tone, but Ventus had cut her off. _

"_How? I think the question you should be asking is "Why? Oh tell me oh wise and knowledgeable Ventus the great-"_

_For the first time in forever, Xion felt the urge to smile, but she stopped herself, instead glaring at him._

"_Just get on with it."_

"_Oh all right spoil sport, guess you aren't little Miss Sunshine, huh?"_

"_Was that pun intended?"_

_He winked at her, "Oh definitely."_

_She only stared in reply. _

"_Wha-? Oh right! Well, does this place look familiar to you at all Xion?" he asked, tone suddenly serious. _

_Xion glanced around, the place definitely held a feeling of familiarity._

"_I suppose so..." she answered hesitantly._

"_Well, the place we find ourselves in is what is known as 'Destiny Islands', more specifically...Sora's heart."_

"_Oh." Xion blinked in confusion. _

"_Surprised?" _

"_Well, yeah, though I do not have much experience with a heart, I always had imagined it to be...more organy."_

_Ventus was unable to tell whether she was joking or not, so rather than laughing at this childlike statement, he instead only nodded. _

"_But where IS the sun? The destiny islands I remembered was ALWAYS sunny."_

"_Well Xion," Ventus said with a devious smile, "Here's where my theory comes in."_

Ventus had explained to her, in more detail than probably needed, (the boy tended to babble) that he believed the sun had disappeared was because Sora was missing the important links in his heart. He went on to say that he did not know what these links were, but when Xion had arrived, the world went from being bathed in pitch black darkness to appearing grey. So, he supposed that someone else would need to arrive before Sora's heart could be restored to it's fullest potential, and thus, the world would be restored with the sun in all it's glory.

Without waiting for a reply, Ventus had yanked her to her feet.

Now thinking about it, Xion realised she missed one crucial detail when she had opened her eyes.

However small it was, it was still there.

A line of sunlight was breaking through the dark clouds.

…

"I told you Xion! I told you!" Ventus exclaimed gleefully as he very forcefully yanked her by the hand on route to the beach.

"Yeah, I know! You told me, you told me!" even she could not disguise the glee within her voice. Though she hated to admit it, even she was excited at the idea of the sun finally making it's triumphant return.

"If only Terra and Aqua could see me now!" Ventus exclaimed with a sudden crow of victory.

"What the-!" Xion began but was cut off by Ventus.

"That was a trick I learnt from an old friend, pretty impressive right?!" he yelled over the howling wind as he ran faster.

"It's certainly something!" Xion replied with an amused cackle that she had accidentally let escape between her lips.

"Xion, you'll finally get to see what this island looks like when the sun shines bright! You'll love it!"

_I know, _Xion thought to herself, the smile suddenly dropping from her face as she remembered a now seemingly distant memory, _I've been here before._

Ventus suddenly pulled to her to a stop, and very unexpectedly pulled her behind him in a protective stance.

"What are you-?"

"Shhh!' Ventus shushed her.

Xion rolled her eyes at this sudden rudeness, which was very unlike him, and peeking over his shoulder, she saw something, or rather _someone_, that caused her breath to hitch, and if she had a heart, she's sure it would have stopped then and there.

A name that she knew she would never forget.

_Roxas _

"Alright keyblade, if you was to suddenly make a miracle reappearance now would be a good time." Ventus mumbled to himself, pushing Xion further behind him when Roxas began to stir.

That was right, Ventus had not been able to summon his keyblade since he came to this place. It tore his heart apart, Xion could tell. Perhaps, it was because the one thing he should be able to have from his past life was gone. It was his...motivation. The keyblade brought him hope, hope that he would be able to see his best friends again.

Without his keyblade...he had nothing.

A groan suddenly sounded from Roxas.

Thinking on his feet, Ventus snapped off a twig from a nearby discarded log.

"First," Ventus began, trying to take on an authoritative tone which honestly sounded quite pathetic, "tell me why you look so much like me!"

"Huh?" Roxas slurred groggily, but his eyes widened when they fell upon Ventus.

"Woah." he whispered to himself, standing up with an outstretched hand.

"Hold it right there Mr Copy Cat!" Ventus exclaimed, further pushing Xion back, causing her to stumble, resulting in glare aimed at Ventus' back.

Roxas eyed Ventus curiously.

"Am I in Sora's heart?" he asked, looking around, ignoring Ventus' previous statement as he took a step towards him.

"Im warning you! I'm armed!"

Roxas shook his head at the pathetic twig now being jabbed at his chest. In one quick swift motion, due to all that struggle training, and Ventus' lack of keyblade training, he was able to steal the twig from Ventus' possession and snap it against his knee.

"What'ddya do that for?!" Ventus whined, now no longer able to defend himself.

Xion rolled her eyes at Ventus' whinging tone.

_Some 'oh mighty keyblade master in training' _she thought to herself before stepping out from behind Ventus, now facing Roxas head on.

Xion waited and prayed for the recognition to flicker through his eyes, for her name to be said without being prompted.

But her best friend remained silent.

And, this was even more painful than fading out of existence.

"Yes," she answered weakly, but gulped, not wanting to cause any suspicion, "this is Sora's heart." she said in a much more stronger tone.

Roxas nodded in acknowledge.

"Seems a little...depressing, I imagined it to be a lot more cheery."

Ventus suddenly smiled.

"Wait and see my inferior look-a-like! Just wait and see!"

Roxas pulled a face at the 'inferior' part, but said nothing on it, and instead followed to where Ventus' finger was pointing, out into the horizon.

Although the trio could not see it at first, they _felt_ a small, rosy, glow upon their skins beginning to warm up the world all around them. Then slowly but somehow all at once, a beam of light pierced the twilight sky like a distant torch that shone in the darkness. Then, it was joined by hues of pink, red, orange, and yellow that overcame the grey dreariness of the darkened sky. The newborn phoenix sun itself was just peeking over the horizon, and the sky resembled a prism; all the colours of the new day blended in perfectly with each other. Xion marvelled at the truly beautiful sight, gazing at the glistening reflection of the sun upon the ocean, which appeared a lot bluer and healthier. All of this causing a thrilling feeling of awe to sweep over Xion.

_You did it Roxas! _She exclaimed in her mind, not taking her eyes of the beautiful sight in front of her, _you did what I had failed to do! I knew I could count on you to outdo me!_

With this beautiful sight in front of him, something within Roxas confirmed what he thought all along.

"Sora's finally awake." he mused aloud, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he smiled at this renewed feeling of hope. "Got get 'em buddy." he added, barely above a whisper, a single tear sliding down his face.

"Xion! I was right!" Ventus suddenly yelled victoriously, breaking the peaceful mood, as he then quickly threw off his shoes and went running into the water.

"_Sora! Riku!" _

Xion blinked in confusion when she heard the voice of a young girl, but noticing that Roxas did not jump in surprise, said nothing of it.

Roxas quickly turned to her, and smiled.

"I'm Roxas." he introduced himself, offering her a hand.

Xion smiled back at him (hoping it did not appear that it pained her to hear him introduce himself as if they had never met before) , and took the offer of his hand.

"I'm Xion."

"Xion, huh?" Roxas questioned to himself as he searched her eyes, and within Xion, a light of hope suddenly flickered, but it was blown out before it had the chance, "I like that name."

_Angels in flight, I need more affection than you know...My Sanctuary...my sanctuary..._

…

_Yay or nay? Should I continue? Let me know in your reviews! _

_Carpe diem and what not :)_


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